Divert Opens Washington’s First Food‑Waste‑to‑Energy Plant

The plant opened on Saturday, marking a milestone for the state’s waste‑to‑energy sector.

Washington’s Organics Management Law requires large generators to keep food waste out of landfills, pushing retailers to seek local diversion options. The Longview site is the state’s first Integrated Diversion & Energy Facility, using depackaging and anaerobic digestion to convert unsold food into usable resources.

The facility processes up to 100,000 tons of non‑donatable food annually, producing over 235,000 MMBtu of renewable natural gas and 450,000 pounds of fertilizer. That output supplies enough energy for roughly 3,200 households and supports the growth of about 225 million pounds of apples each year. Ryan Begin, CEO of Divert, said the plant strengthens a resilient, circular food system in the Pacific Northwest with clear energy, agricultural and economic benefits.

By turning waste into energy and soil nutrients, the plant helps retailers meet state diversion rules while cutting landfill emissions—estimated at up to 23,000 metric tons of CO₂e per year. It also creates a local supply of fertilizer that can boost regional crop yields, reducing reliance on synthetic inputs. The model shows how food‑waste infrastructure can align compliance, sustainability and community economics.

Divert partnered with Feeding America to redirect edible surplus before processing, aiming to increase donation rates for people facing hunger in the local community. Early data from the pilot show a 15% rise in diverted edible food compared with previous donation streams. Local officials note that the partnership could serve as a template for other regions tackling food insecurity and waste simultaneously.

Watch for Divert’s plans to replicate the Longview design in other Washington cities and for state officials to track whether the facility helps meet broader organics diversion targets.